This morning our local ABC affiliate, WJLA, decided to stop showing the disturbing images sent to NBC News by Virginia Tech shooter Cho Seung Hui. The package of still photos and videos was sent by Cho in the hours between the first and second shootings and show him wielding the murder weapons and delivering obscenity-laced diatribes. Since the footage was released on Wednesday, it has flooded TV screens, prompting some viewers and victims’ family members to criticize the media.

Bill Lord, News V.P. for the Albritton Communications-owned stations, explained his network’s decision on wjla.com:

Effective immediately, WJLA-TV and NewsChannel 8 will discontinue broadcasting images and videotapes provided to the media by Virginia Tech mass murderer Cho Seung-Hui. The images are very disturbing to many of our viewers and we see no positive value in continuing to broadcast them. We believe this decision serves the best interests of our community. We will continue to broadcast the yearbook style photos of Cho Seung-Hui that aired prior to the images he sent to the media.

Fox News decided to pull the footage on Thursday and NBC has said they will “severely limit” its use.

What do you think? Should every station stop showing the images or are they important part of understanding this tragic news story? Do journalists in D.C. have a special responsibility due to our local connection to the Virginia Tech community?

Photo of WJLA’s broadcast center by Eye Captain.